Roosevelt University Set to Open New Housing

Last week the Sun-times reported that Roosevelt University 'has filed a zoning application to build an academic and student center' at 421-25 S. Wabash. Essentially they're building another dorm that will also have some student services such as labs and class rooms.

This follows the article that we pointed out two weeks ago from the Chicago Tribune that dubbed the area 'Loop U'.

For many sloopers this expansion doesn't come as a surprise and from our perspective is a great thing for the neighborhood (again like we mentioned in the old post).

Of particular interest in the Sun-Times article is the reasons cited as to why the university seeks this expansion:

"What's driving this is that Roosevelt has grown by 50 percent in the last six years -- from 3,400 full-time students to 5,100. Projections are we will sustain that growth. We'll move right in filled to capacity. We need more of everything," said Roosevelt University President Chuck Middleton.

Noting that the Loop has the nation's largest concentration of college students, Middleton said, "This project will contribute to the continued growth of that phenomenon. The presence of all these students and faculty adds to the vitality of the downtown core."

The largest concentration of college students? We're a little skeptical of that statement, but hope it's true.